We had a wonderful celebratory dinner the other night, as one of our nephews just graduated with all sorts of honors and has been accepted to medical school. The universities may think they are liberal, but not when it comes time to give out tickets to view a graduation, then they get very squeaky tight. We met up with the graduate and his parents and his grandparents at a restaurant near his parent’s home for a dinner. Maybe, because I was not as brilliant of a student, but I do not remember all the different cords, pins and recognitions that end up on a graduation gown as he had. I am sure that he was also tired of posing with everyone for the constant photo sessions, but we are all proud of him. The waitress brought him a cocktail for his celebration in one of the largest glasses I have ever seen, and it is good that it was not full, or he might not have made it through the night.

We all met at The Masters Restaurant that is near his parent’s home and a place that they like to go to, even with new owners, the food and service is good. I haven written about this place often, as my Bride and all her cousins meet there once a month for a get-together, and my dinner club meets there a couple of times a year there. Actually, the waitress that was taking care of the party, joked with me, that I should study the menu, because when I am with my club, I only get a choice of maybe five entrée dishes to choose from. I was actually proud of my Bride, as she chose something totally different and ordered Veal Marsala, I guess after Lent, she had her fill of fish for a while. I went with the ribs, it is something that we don’t make at home, and it is usually not one of the offered dishes on the menu when my club is there. I really couldn’t see what everyone else was getting, as it was a big table.

Some of the people like the guest of honor were drinking cocktails, but my Bride and I arrived before everyone else, so we ordered a bottle of wine. I still think it is more economical, especially when it seems that a glass of wine is almost the price of a bottle at retail anymore in a restaurant, and depending on how they pour, they can get four to six glasses from a standard bottle of wine. One can also find something more interesting especially compared to the list of “well” wines served at the bar. We had a bottle of Oberon Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2017, produced by the Michael Mondavi Family; a name that has been in the valley for ages and is respected. The fruit all came from Napa Valley County and if you think about it, there is an awfully large amount of wine that is produced out of that one small area and this wine is at a respectable price point. The wine is ninety-four percent Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance of six percent according to the winemaker is a dash of Merlot and a kiss of Syrah. The wine is aged for fourteen months in French Oak, of which forty-five percent is new. It is a big California style Cabernet with a lot of gusto and dark fruit with a nice finish. It will be good to have another doctor in the family.